


25 Days of Fic

by manicmanner



Category: Batgirl (Comics), Batman (Comics), Teen Titans (Comics)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-22
Updated: 2013-01-22
Packaged: 2017-11-26 11:54:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 12,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/650254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manicmanner/pseuds/manicmanner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cross-posted from my tumblr account, mily-day.</p><p>A collection of holiday-themed stories.</p><p>Expect fluff. Various couples and gen. Specific couples and whatnot are in the chapter titles for your convenience!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mistletoe (Gen)

“No.”

“Absolutely not.”

Dick and Stephanie grinned at each other. “Yes,” they both said, looking at the other two Robins who were (unfortunately for them) standing under the one piece of mistletoe that was hanging in Wayne Manor. 

It had taken quite a while to get both Tim and Damian in the same room together without batarangs being whipped out, and longer to convince them that yes, they did need to go get the food Alfred had prepared for them, don’t question your elders, and to have them walk through the doorway together. But Dick and Steph had planned this. It was bound to work.

And it did. It worked it oh so perfectly.

Damian crossed his arms over his chest, huffing with annoyance. “I will not be put in a compromising position due to your frivolous American traditions.”

“For once we agree. But Dick, Steph, you can’t expect us to--”

“But Tim, we have to teach Damian at some point! And the opportunity has presented itself,” Dick told Tim. “Now do your brotherly duty!”

Tim looked from Dick, down to Damian (who was almost his height now at fifteen, Tim noted with distaste), back to Dick. “I don’t think that’s how siblings normally work.”

“Clearly you didn’t get the memo that we passed normal when we started dressing up at night to terrorize Gotham’s underground,” Stephanie said, hands on her hips. “Now get to it.”

Tim turned to Damian. “Well…”

“No. You can’t make me,” Damian said, making to walk away from the situation.

Without even sharing a glance, Dick and Stephanie pounced. Dick grabbed Damian in a bear hug, and even with Damian thrashing around trying to escape, Dick was able to keep him in place. Stephanie made to grab Tim, but Tim ducked under her reaching hands and grumbled, “I can do this on my own,” and darted over to deliver a quick peck of the lips to Damian’s forehead.

“That’s not how you do it,” Stephanie declared. She had ended up behind Tim, and pushed his head down, which lead to him bumping heads with Damian. 

“Ow,” Tim complained. 

Damian gritted his teeth before growling, “Brown, Grayson.”

“For the love of--” Jason came in from the hallway and took control of the situation. He grabbed both Tim and Damian’s necks and pushed their lips together. “Say cheese.”

“Whaf?” They tried to ask as Dick and Stephanie echoed Jason.

The telltale click of a camera answered their question.

Jason, Stephanie, and Dick let go of the two simmering boys and jumped to safe distances. Cass lowered the cell phone that she had used to take their picture with a slight quirk of the lips. She passed it to Barbara, who had her hand held out in anticipation. “Thank you,” Barbara said. Her fingers glided across the phone’s surface and Jason had to snag Damian before he lunged at the two Batgirls.

Tim pointed a limp finger at Barbara. “Did you just--”

“—Send everyone the Bat Christmas Picture? Yes I did, thank you for asking.”

Tim burrowed his head in his hands while Damian went completely rigid in Jason’s headlock. “Ruined, I’m ruined,” Tim mumbled sadly. Stephanie came up to him and patted him on the shoulder.

“It’ll be okay. Your team will only laugh and point until Valentine’s day or so.” Tim groaned loudly.

A clearing of a throat had everyone snap to attention. Bruce was standing in the doorway the Robins had previously occupied accompanied by an amused looking Alfred. “Should I ask what just happened?”

There was silence for a moment before Stephanie started laughing. It started with small giggles that quickly escalated into a full body laugh that had her doubling over. It was infectious, and with that what was left of everyone’s composure broke. Dick was second, with that same rich laughter, then Jason with his chuckles, and he let go of Damian. Barbara tried to cover her laughs with the back of her hand and Cass just smiled, shaking her head. Even Tim started laughing at the absurdity of the whole thing, in quieter, shaking guffaws. Damian look bewildered, but he wasn’t as angry anymore. He stood at ease, not quite comfortable but as close as Damian got usually.

“I guess that is answer enough, Master Bruce.” 

Barbara took a couple of breaths before replying with, “Yeah. Merry Christmas.”


	2. Hot Chocolate (Dick/Kory)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Kori takes Dick shopping around the holidays and they take a hot chocolate break.

“I didn’t realize that shopping would be this much work,” Dick said as he opened the door to the hole-in-the-wall coffee shop he had spotted across the street. He held the door for Kori, who blinked at the action at first but then walked through. He quickly shuffled in after her to get out of the cold.

Kori turned to smile at him, which made Dick feel a tiny bit lovesick, although he’d never tell anyone that. “Garth told me it is tradition to purchase gifts for your friends at this time of year. And you owed me a date anyways.”

“I wasn’t thinking this was what you had in mind,” Dick replied. He guided Kori to the counter. “Do you want anything?”

“I’ll just have what you’re having,” she said. As Dick ordered some beverages, the boys working kept trying not to stare at Kori, although that wasn’t working out for them. The girl that rung them up got the courage to ask for her autograph, and Kori graced her with a smile and a hastily written signature on one of the napkins. Dick shook his head in good humor before thanking the girl for the drinks and moving to find them a table by the window.

Kori peered into the cup. “What is it?” she asked.

“Hot chocolate,” Dick said. Kori gave him a confused look, so he elaborated. “It’s a holiday tradition. Alfred used to make this stuff for me all the time when I was a kid. See?” He lifted up his look and took a long drink of the warm beverage. It wasn’t too hot, and there was a tiny kick of vanilla that was an aftertaste. “Yum.”

Kori got up and leaned over the table to give Dick a leisurely kiss. “Yes, yum.” 

Dick knew he had a goofy smile on his face, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.


	3. Snow (Damian/Steph)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian is not amused by Stephanie’s attempts at a snowball fight while on a stakeout.

Damian didn’t get the appeal of it, really. It was just frozen water, really, and the only purpose it served was to cover the grime and grit of the streets. Nothing special and—

“You made a funny noise, oh my god.”

\--Damian didn’t make “funny” noises when hit with said frozen water.

Why Grayson sent him on missions with Brown was beyond him. He was sixteen; he didn’t need a handler, and had said as much to the Batman of Gotham. But Grayson had just brushed him off with the comment, “It’s not about that. You two work together well. Cowboy up.”

Which led to them to this stakeout. Brown couldn’t stay on task and had taken to throwing icy lumps at him when he was scouting for the drug dealers below.

He turned to glare at her. “Did not, Fatgirl. And try to act near your age. We all know you’re ancient.”

Another ball of snow hit Damian, this time in the face. If he squacked at the impact, he wouldn’t admit it. Even when Brown was laughing and pointing at him. Damian crossed his arms and crouched in on himself, sinking into the shadow of the building across from them.

“Oh, don’t do that!” Brown screeched. She’s probably driven away the criminals, Damian thought with remorse. “I was just playing. But that last one you totally deserved. Never call a lady old.”

“Is there a lady present?” Damian grumbled. He ducked the next lump thrown at him, ready this time. He scanned the area below, and seeing nothing suspicious, retaliated. He scooped up a pile of the dirty snow and hurled it at Brown’s head. He hadn’t packed it tight, so it broke apart midair and only the smallest part landed on Brown’s nose.

Although she looked stunned. Damian got ready for the imminent battle. But then she smiled and turned so she was facing the street. She didn’t utter a word after that, just had this silly smile on her face. Damian shifted (not in discomfort, that would be ridiculous) but made sure to keep an eye on her. Just in case.


	4. Candy Canes (Dick/Barbara)

“Dick, why are there giant candy canes standing up in my living room?”

The man had the grace to look the tiniest bit embarrassed when Barbara rolled up to where he was laying on her couch. He glanced at the candy cane cluster he had placed to the side of the TV and back to her. “I thought you could put them in your front yard?”

“I don’t have a front yard for my apartment,” Barbara said. “I had hoped you would have noticed by this point.”

Dick smiled. “I always use the roof entrance. I must have missed the lack of front yard.” When Barbara crossed her arms, he sighed. “You need some decoration. You never decorate for the holidays.”

“So your answer was large, plastic candy canes?” Barbara asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Why not? They’re easy to move around, low maintenance, and they’re festive.” Dick jumped up and picked up one of the candy canes and dropped it in her lap. “See?”

Barbara looked at the brightly colored candy cane. These weren’t the traditional white and red. They were in all different colors, red and green, blue and red, every variation the store must have had. Dick had brought her a green and yellow cane that had a bow on it. “Why not some wreathes or something?”

“Why not candy canes?” Dick retorted, arms crossed over his chest defiantly.

Barbara smiled, shaking her head. My boy wonder, she thought with affection. 

She grabbed the bottom of the cane and reached up to hook the top around Dick’s neck. He laughed when she tugged him down to her level and planted a kiss on his lips. “Ask me first next time before going crazy with candy canes?” she asked, looking into his eyes. He nodded and leaned in to kiss her more thoroughly.


	5. Christmas Tree (Gen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who knew picking a Christmas tree would be so tedious?

“Damian,” his father called. It was quiet, but firm, like everything he said tended to be. Damian stopped mid-step at the sound and looked over to him. Pennyworth and he were standing in the kitchen, wearing their winter coats and gloves, looking ready to venture out into the cold.

“What is it, father?”

Bruce looked to Pennyworth, and then looked back to Damian. “It’s the holidays.”

Damian crossed his arms but didn’t say anything. He had learned to hold his tongue since Father had come back into his life after his “death.” Father never responded well to Damian’s kneejerk reactions to certain things.

“I thought we could go pick out a Christmas tree,” Bruce continued on.

Damian blinked. “For what purpose?”

Bruce rubbed at the bridge of his nose. “It’s a tradition. My father used to let me pick out the family tree, so I thought it might be fun for us to continue that.”

“Fun,” Damian said flatly. Grayson had just gone and purchased a tree last year, even if it was one of the most lopsided pines Damian had ever seen. And after that, he had forced Damian to help him “dress it up.” Which had taken longer than one would imagine. Grayson had insisted on every branch having a tacky homemade ornament on it. Damian just didn’t see the appeal.

But Father seemed to.

Damian uncrossed his arms. “I’ll get my coat,” he said.

He turned and left the doorway, pretending not to hear, “Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?” from Pennyworth.

\--

It was quiet. The three of them had been walking around in a small, roped off pin of trees for a half hour by that point. Other families had passed by, chattering loudly with one another as the children picked the tallest trees that they could find and the parents had to scale back a foot or two. It had started snowing, which made the kids rejoice and the fathers groan. With all of the noise going on, it was quiet between them.

Damian didn’t know how to fill the silence, so he just let it sink in.

They wound their way around the next corner. Bruce wasn’t looking at Damian, but at the other families. Damian tried not to feel jealous of the strangers.

“Might I recommend one of these?” Pennyworth suggested, gesturing to their right. Damian looked at the now snow covered cluster of trees, marked seven feet. He made a beeline to the pile and started to examine them. “These should be easy enough to bring into the manor, and to decorate,” Pennyworth went on to say.

Like this, they all looked the same. Damian shuffled some of them around, trying to find one that was full. There were small imperfections in all of the trees, too matted down, cut unevenly at the base. Except one. He tugged it out from the fray and started to drag it back.

“Hey!”

Damian craned his head around the bulk of pine needles to look down at a small bundled up boy. “Yes?” Damian asked, trying to be civil.

“I saw that tree first!” the boy claimed, trying to cross his arms but failing. His dark eyes glared up at Damian.

Damian glared at him. “It was buried underneath those other trees. You couldn’t have seen it.”

“Nuh uh. I did see it!”

“James,” a woman warned. Two sets of crunching footsteps made their way over to them. Damian looked up to see a plump looking woman along with a man standing next to the boy. “Don’t be rude. This boy found it first.”

“Nuh uh!” the boy, James, screamed, pointing an accusing finger at the tree, “I saw it first!”

The man shook his head and turned to Damian. “I’m sorry about this. James is a little keyed up tonight. It’s his first time picking out a tree.”

Damian scanned over the family. The mother and father were clearly together, since they were standing so close to each other. Their jackets were on the worn side, and neither had gloves or hats, but James’ whole outfit looked brand new. The mother looked exasperated, but had smile lines around her eyes.

“Tt. There’s no need for hysterics,” Damian chided. “Here.” He set the tree back down on top. “Enjoy your holidays.”

He grabbed the nearest tree and started to drag it back when large hands landed on his shoulders. “I’ve got it,” his father said.

Damian looked up to his father and saw a small smile on his lips. He didn’t comment on it but moved out of the way.

“Have a nice evening,” Bruce called to the family. The father waved to them before dragging Damian’s tree away, the two others following along.

\--

It turns out the tree Damian had picked was in worse shape than Grayson’s was. But Damian didn’t mind this year.


	6. Angel (Damian/Steph)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a gigantic penguin robot cancels Stephanie’s play debut. Also, Robin adding to the wreckage doesn’t help matters.

“Nothing is sacred anymore,” Stephanie moaned as Robin crashed through the set directly behind her. She ducked out of the way of the chunk of the cut out manger that had been knocked over and sighed in relief. After checking to see if everyone had ran screaming from the set (and they had), Stephanie turned her gaze to Damian, who was jumping back up.

“Why do you have to bring all of your batty drama every time you come see me at school?” Stephanie asked, hands on her hips.

She couldn’t see his eyes, but judging by his Annoyed Brows, he wasn’t terribly happy about that comment. “I do not. And it is not my fault that Penguin--”

“You brought the Penguin to Gotham U?” Stephanie half yelled. 

Damian snorted, although he’d never call it that, probably. It would be too demeaning, little brat. “Of course not. But--”

And then Stephanie saw it. The metal flipper swung through the hole Damian had created in the wall, swatting around and making a bigger gap, and then the large robotic penguin crashed through the last part of the back wall. 

“You have got to be kidding me,” she complained as the contraption crushed the poor holiday set.

“Batman is taking care of the Penguin, which leaves us this abomination,” Damian reported. He grabbed one of the batarangs from his utility belt and threw it at the robot’s head. It just rebounded off the thing’s beak and embedded itself in one of the wooden beams above them.

It squacked angrily and started charging towards them. “I don’t think that helped a--!” Stephanie started to say. Damian had grabbed her around the waist and shot his grappling hook upward, dragging her up with him. She didn’t squeak, but it was a near thing. 

They landed on one of the catwalks above the auditorium with a thud. Damian turned to look at her. “What are you even wearing?” he asked.

She looked down at the plain, now partially ripped white dress she was wearing. “Not the time Damian,” Stephanie said. She scanned the area and spotted their ticket out. “Cut the inner cords of those metal beams,” she ordered.

“Tt.” But Damian complied, and the two beams swung down and impaled the penguin from both sides. It shuddered for a moment before freezing mid-rampage. Stephanie let out a whoop, hands above her head.

She glanced to Damian to see him looking at her intently. “What?” she asked. She reached up and patted her head. “When did I lose that?”

“What?”

“My halo! It’s a part of my costume!” Stephanie explained. “Take me back down to ground level.” She couldn’t see it, but knew Damian was rolling his eyes. But he listened to her, gently wrapping an arm around her waist and lowering back to the stage. She started sifting through the wrecked set, looking for the ring of gold wire. 

“Why do you have a halo?” Damian asked. He knocked some debris around on the floor, half-heartedly searching as well.

“Some of my friends are a part of the theater group here, and asked if I wanted to audition for a small part of the holiday play. So I agreed and now I’m an angel. Not that I already wasn’t.” Damian definitely snorted this time. No denying it, Stephanie thought with a smile. “But I’ve got to repair my whole costume now. And find this stupid halo.”

Damian walked towards her and she looked up to see him holding the ring. He wordlessly handed it to her. “Thanks,” she said as she put it on. She tried straightening it out, but was obviously not doing a terribly good job of it when Damian finally took over. 

“You’re completely useless, Fatgirl,” Damian sighed loudly. 

“Hey, who just save the day from a penguin robot?” she asked. She pointed a finger at herself. “This girl, that’s who. Not the brat wonder.”

If there was a small upward quirk on his lips, she didn’t call him out on it. That would scare him off.

“You guys okay?” She heard Dick asked. He poked his cowl-covered head in through the hole in the wall. Which made for an amusing image, considering.

Stephanie gave him a thumbs up. “Just peachy. This is being billed to you though, you menaces to society.”

“One rebuilt auditorium, coming up,” Dick said. “By the way, nice costume. Very chic.”

“Thanks dear,” Stephanie replied dryly. All in a night’s work, she guessed. Even on her night off.


	7. Pie (Tim/Kon)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holiday dessert dates on the rooftops of Gotham. Fluff ensues.

Tim has, since becoming Robin, tried a variety of different things. He’s done a lot of these different things “in the name of justice,” as Stephanie would say, but it’s a true enough statement that Tim let it stand. Some things, however, have been for a different reason. More Tim Drake reasons. Why Tim has tasted most every holiday pie that Mrs. Kent could come up with are purely because he can.

Tim won’t tell Alfred though. He didn’t want to be the one to break Alfred’s heart when he hears that Mrs. Kent makes a mean pecan pie.

After five slices of pie though, Tim had had enough holiday cheer.

“Thanks for the pie, but I’m stuffed,” Tim said, pushing the plate away. Connor had flown in a basket from Ma Kent filled to the top with pies, and Tim had been bullied into an impromptu pie tasting on one of Gotham’s many rooftops. If Batman had figured out why Red Robin wasn’t patrolling his usual sections, Tim guessed he didn’t mind terribly much.

“You are clearly not human,” Connor said. He shoveled his seventh slice onto his plate, a pumpkin pie slice this time, as he scolded his boyfriend. “Respect the pie, eat the pie. Do you know how long it took Ma Kent to make these?”

“I appreciate her efforts, and they’re great. But--” Tim visibly shuddered as Connor scooped up a huge bite and ate it. “How can you keep going?”

Connor leveled Tim with a deadpan expression. “One of my powers is having a stomach of steel.”

Tim shoved Connor’s shoulder, although it didn’t make the meta move much. Tim could always try. “I guess that’s why every pack of Doritos in the Tower goes missing within a day of being purchased.”

“That was totally Bart and you know it. But if it was me, I regret nothing.” Tim rolled his eyes and tried to fight back the small smile he felt pulling at his face.

A forkful of pie was in his face a second later. “Man, you’ve got to try this. It’s delicious.”

“Connor, I’m—“ Tim tried to say but Connor had stuffed the pie into his mouth. It was good, really good; mushy and sweet in all the right ways. So Tim did the only thing he could do, savor it.

“Isn’t it good?” Connor asked.

Tim swallowed the last part before answering. “Every pie’s been good. But I’m not going to be able to walk after this. Shut up, that wasn’t sexual,” Tim reprimanded as Connor started to snicker.  
Connor quieted down before giving him a goofy smile. “Come over here,” he said. Tim scooted over into his lap, wrapping his arms around Connor’s neck. For this vantage point Connor had to look up to see Tim’s face. “Have I ever told you that I’m really glad that you ditched the Dr. Midnite look?”

“I think once or twice, yeah,” Tim said with a sigh. Before Connor could say anything else, Tim leaned down and kissed him. Making out, the only effective way to shut Connor Kent up.


	8. Tinsel (Gen, Batfam)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick is the prettiest Christmas tree, with some assistance.

“Rockin’ around, the Christmas tree,” Dick was singing along to the obnoxiously loud music as Damian walked into the penthouse. And the sight made Damian pause.

He was covered in silver tinsel, from head to toe. Large strings of silver, and other assorted colors peaking through now that Damian was looking closely. Dick couldn’t even lift his arms they were weighed down by so much of the stuff. And Cassandra and Stephanie were adding more of it onto the man.

“What are you doing now, Grayson?” Damian asked, shutting the door behind him. “We all know you like to be held helpless, but this is below even your standards.”

“He’s an impromptu Christmas tree,” Stephanie replied. “Dick didn’t have one yet, so he’ll be his own. At least until Tim gets back with another one.” Cass nodded in agreement, wrapping more around Dick.

Damian took off his coat and cap, threw them onto one of the plush couches Dick seemed to be so fond of, and ran a hand over his short hair. Then he looked back at the trio. He blinked and shook his head. “Tt, even after five years, I don’t understand the need for this absurdity whenever Christmas comes around. You don’t even go to church, Grayson, I know you’re not religious.”

Stephanie set down her pile of tinsel with an exasperated sigh. But Dick spoke before Stephanie could start in. “For most people, this time of year is about family. So, acting silly is a part of it for some families, but the point is that they’re being silly together.” Dick was staring right at Damian, trying to help him understand. But the layers upon layers of tinsel weren’t helping his case in Damian’s opinion.

Damian crossed his arms. “You called me over here for this?”

“To be a part of the family,” Cass said, “yes.” Cass had always been someone Damian had looked up to, someone who he felt understood at least a part of the struggle of integrating into the Bat’s territory. They’d never been that close, since she had relocated to Hong Kong to become the city’s Batman. But hearing her say that, to him, made Damian reevaluate why he was here.

Stephanie dug around one of the boxes on the floor before pulling out a homemade ornament. Damian watched as she walked over to him, ornament held out to him, with a smile on her face. “Let’s make Dick the prettiest tree, huh?” 

Damian considered the ornament, and then the three of them. His family. He took the ornament and made his way over to Dick, where he hooked it onto one of the strands of tinsel.

“Let’s get decorating!” Stephanie cheered. She ran over to the computer to turn up the music up to an almost unbearable level. But when Dick laughed and even Cass cracked a smile, Damian figured that he could deal with the noise for a little while.


	9. Ice Skating (Steph/Cass)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephanie’s vigilante training didn’t prepare her for ice skating, apparently. Good thing her training partner’s a natural.

There was clearly something wrong with these skates. Yeah, that’s it. Maybe there was a chip in them or something. Stephanie lifted her foot up to have a closer look, ignoring the fact that she was sitting in the middle of the ice rink. The well-worn ice beneath her was frigid, but Stephanie wasn’t letting that stop her.

“Hey lady, get out of the way,” one kid yelled at her.

“Go around, I’m busy,” she said, not looking up from the skate. Yup, there was the tiniest of nicks on the boot part of the ice skate. Maybe that threw her off balance. It must have, Stephanie rationalized. She needed the best rentals skates available to her.

Then she felt Cass glide up behind her. Even on the ice she was graceful. Stephanie was envious to say the least. Cass hesitated for a moment before tapping her shoulder. “You okay?” Cass asked.

Stephanie craned her neck to see her friend looking back at her intently. “Yeah,” she said with a sigh. “You know, for all the nights I’ve ran around this city chasing baddies down, kicking butt in general, you’d think I could keep my balance on some ice. But no dice there.” She blew a piece of her hair out of her face with a huff.

Cass skated around her, offering Stephanie a hand up. Stephanie shook her head before struggling to stand up on her own, which got her a smile from Batgirl. “Must be the skates,” Stephanie went on to express.

Stephanie took a wobbling step forward and felt the fall coming. She shifted her body weight forward in an attempt to stop the fall, but Cass grabbed her arm before she toppled over. “Maybe you’re not used to it,” Cass suggested.

Stephanie whipped around to give Cass a long look. “No offense, but I don’t see you skating in your off time. It’s fine, I’ll get the hang out it.” No sooner had Stephanie tried to take another step that Cass saved her again.

“Try not stepping. Try sliding.” Cass let go of Stephanie long enough to skate right in front of her and grab both of Stephanie’s hands. Stephanie was strangely comforted by the pressure around her fingers. “Slide,” Cass repeated, sliding backwards as emphasis. And since Cass was holding onto her, Stephanie followed.

She didn’t lift her foot again, just shifted to the side slightly, and then the other at Cass’s silent request. And Stephanie was moving. Slowly the two girls made their way around the rink together. They started picking up the pace a little at a time. After they were matching the speed of the surrounding skaters Cass let go he Stephanie’s hands.

Stephanie wobbled for a moment as Cass skated away. But she found her rhythm quickly, and skated after Cass. She whooped loudly, pumping her fists in the air. Which threw her off balance again, but she readjusted as Cass doubled back and made to grab her. 

Stephanie gave Cass a huge smile. “Great partnering, huh?”

Cass returned the smile, grabbed her hand, and led her around the rink once more.


	10. Frost (Gen, Steph-centric)

Winter in Gotham was a bit two-faced at times. 

In the nice parts of town, and in the suburbs, it was a festive, wonderful season. Homes and towers were all lit up with holiday cheer, good will towards men all around. But then outside of that, it could get a little out of hand.

In other parts of the city, the winter kicked off not-so-fun things. Robberies tended to be up, so folks could get presents for their families. Domestic violence was up because the abusers were home much more than they usually were. And there were more than a few families that couldn’t afford the makings of a “proper” holiday. Stephanie knew all about this. She’d lived it.

But now she could help, so she did.

Stephanie helped in strange ways. She made sure she was patrolling the streets every night she could afford to with finals looming over her head. And when finals were over with, without her mother catching on to what she was doing. 

She stopped department store robberies, and bank burglaries, and everything in between. It there were men that were being a little too rough with their women out on the streets, Stephanie swooped in and intervened. She watched over kids that were sneaking around, trying to find cheap presents for their friends and families well after dark.

But those were things that the other Bats could do. She had one thing that she did that the others didn’t.

In the frost on windows, she etched out tiny messages. She drew everything from cute depictions of the holidays to a simple bat symbol. For every kid that was having a rough time at home, she tried to give them something to look up to, something that would make them smile at least. It had worked for her, knowing that there was something, someone out there that was doing good. It had helped her make it through a rough situation. 

So maybe, Stephanie thought, maybe it could help, even if the frost faded away in the morning. She hoped that by letting kids know that she was out there, personally looking out for them, that they could get some sense of hope out of it. 

Sure, being a Bat was serving the greater good at the large scale. But Stephanie knew how one person could make the difference. That’s how she started the whole parading around in costume thing, after all. 

There was always room in their line of work for hope. Drawings in the frost was one way she chose to inspire it.


	11. Eggnog (slight Steph/Jason)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason gets an unexpected visitor. Who brings good tidings and eggnog and rum. All is well, if a bit puzzling.

“You do realize that you tripped every alarm I have, right?”

The new Batgirl blinked at him, batting her eyelashes. Even while she was hanging upside down from her ankle she kept cool. She even managed to keep the backpack she had with her. Bruce was training the kids a little better than he had when Jason was around. “There’s only so many ways to get your attention,” she said.

If only she could see his eye roll. But Jason was starting to like the newest additions to the Bat family. “Well, you’ve got it now.” He pulled the knife that he’d stashed away in his boot out and cut her down quickly. She squacked as she hit the ground, curling into her bag. “Start talking.”

“I just wanted to bring you something,” she said. “And finally meet you in person. I figured that we had at least one thing in common.” When silence was his only reply, she plowed on through. “Both of us aren’t super cuddley with the core group.”

And then he recognized her. Stephanie Brown. She replaced his replacement for a while, and Bruce got her killed too. Or not, as she sitting up in front of him. He wondered how she managed to swing the Batgirl gig. Or why she even wanted it, considering what the Bats had done to her.

He crossed his arms. “You brought it something?”

Stephanie smiled. “Good tidings we bring, to you and your kin,” she sang. She opened up her bag and pulled out a carton of eggnog. “I wish you a Happy Christmas. Or just a Happy New Year, if Christmas isn’t your thing. But you get the idea, right?”

Jason just looked down at the blonde. He wanted to think it was some kind of strange set up, but that didn’t fit Bruce’s MO, or anyone else’s. She must have come up with this on her own. It stirred up a couple of feelings, the frontrunner being confusion. But she definitely had balls busting into his territory, he had to give her that.

“You bring alcohol with you?” Jason asked. When she pulled out a large bottle of rum, he barked out a laugh. “Of course you did. Bat training. Be prepared for everything.” He reached for the bottle, which she handed over to him. It was pretty cheap stuff. Not the worst, but just a step up from that. Hmm.

“You’re on.” Stephanie cheered, pumping her fist in the air. Jason shook his head, amused more than anything. “Let’s head inside so we can start this holiday cheer. Don’t mind the mess. I’m redecorating.”

As Stephanie got up, fluffing any dirt out of her hair, she snorted. “Sure.” Yep, Jason was definitely starting to like the newest additions.


	12. Cider (Gen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian has a moment with some apple cider. And then Dick joins in.

For all of the commotion that the holiday season caused among some vigilantes in Gotham, Damian liked the quieter traditions that they had shown him. Specifically, he enjoyed the foods and drinks that were custom around this time of year.

The glass of apple cider in his hand was about half empty by this point. He’d been trying to ration it throughout the night, even knowing that he could just get another mug full at any point. He felt like savoring the taste, sweet with the taste of the fruit plus some added cinnamon. The concoction went down nicely, filling him with pleasant warmth.

“Should I leave you two alone?” Dick teased. Damian blinked up from the glass to see Dick poking his head in through the doorway. 

Damian leveled him with a glare. “Grayson, what do you want?”

Dick took that as an invitation to enter the room, apparently, as he proceeded to do so, kicking the door shut behind him. Damian saw that his former mentor had two glasses of cider with him. “Just thought we could share some of Alfie’s cider. Although it looks like you’ve got some already. I could always--”

“Hand it here, Grayson.”

Dick smiled indulgently as he set one of the glasses down on the end table. “Coaster.” He put a coaster underneath it at the command. 

“You’re almost as bad as Alfie,” Dick complained as he plopped down into the armchair next to Damian. His cider sloshed around in the glass, threatening to spill, but it never did. Many years of practice, Damian assumed.

“You used to tell me not to damage the house. I’m only taking your wishes to heart.”

Dick looked over at Damian. “That’s a load of crap, but I’ll let it go.” He took a sip of the cider before going continuing. “How did you manage to get out of tree decorating?”

Damian finished off his glass and reached for the one Dick had brought with him. “A crisis came up. I responded to it.”

“Oh really?” Dick asked, raising his eyebrows at him.

“Yes.” Damian ignored Dick’s prodding gaze as he reached for one of the books he’d set aside. Atlas Shrugged it was, then. He flipped it open and started reading.

Dick was quiet for a bit before piping up again. “What was the crisis?”

“A robbery,” Damian said, not looking up from the book.

“A robbery.”

“That’s what I said, thank you for reminding me.”

Damian heard Dick shift in the chair, probably to face him. “Did you get me a nice present, at least?”

“You won’t get to find out if you don’t shut up.”

After a chuckle, Dick was silent, or as much as he could manage anyways. Damian appreciated the gesture as he sipped on the cider he’d brought him. He curled his feet under him and huddled over his book.

“Cutie.” Damian chucked the nearest book at Dick and listened with satisfaction when it made contact.


	13. Peppermint (Tim/Kon)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kon gives Tim a gift that was more for himself than Tim.

“This is a little indulgent,” Tim commented, holding up the peppermint candy ornament. 

Kon grinned at him. “It looks tasty though, right?”

Tim spun it around by the ribbon that was attached at the top. The candy shone in the dim lighting of the room they were in. Tim shook his head. “Where do you even find these?”

“I found that one at a novelty sweets store, so I guess that’s where you find them,” Kon replied, scooting closer to Tim on the couch. The cushion dipped towards where Kon was sitting, and Tim had to shift to avoid falling against him. “Try it. I need to know if they’re good, and you’d get mad at me if I took the first bite.”

“Since it’s my gift, yeah.” Tim rolled his eyes but picked one of the candies off the arrangement. He popped it into his mouth and rolled it around with his tongue. That fresh flavor was instantaneous, and Tim made a small noise of contentment. 

“Good?” Kon asked, looking at the other boy. Tim gave him the thumbs up. 

Kon leaned in to grab another candy off the ornament with his teeth. Tim laughed, as Kon was completely unsuccessful, only managing to bang his teeth on some of the peppermints. “Greedy,” Tim teased; giving him one of the ones Kon had been angling for to him.

Kon pouted, but didn’t say no to the sweet. “I was trying to be all sexy about it,” he said around the candy.

“There was nothing sexy about that. Nothing.”

“Jerk,” Kon complained, shoving Tim slightly. But when Tim started laughing that awkward laugh of his, Kon found it in his heart to forgive him.


	14. Gingerbread (Steph/Damian)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Building a gingerbread house just got a tiny bit more awkward.

“You’re as cuddley as a cactus, you’re as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch,” Stephanie sang along to the movie that was on TV.

Stephanie spread more of the icing around the corners of the gingerbread house they were making. They being Damian, who had been so kind enough to hold the front side and one of the other sides together as she tried to get them to stay together on their own, and her. 

“Brown, I only came to drop these pieces off for you. I didn’t come here to be forced into labor,” Damian complained. To his credit he was still holding the cookie walls together. He’d learned something after all these years, Stephanie thought.

“Pipe down, I’m creating a masterpiece,” Stephanie said. If she got a little of the icing on his fingers by accident, it wasn’t her fault.

Damian grimaced. “I’m surprised that you’re attempting anything culinary at all. I know your track record with foods other than waffles.”

“Which is why you went out of your way to but me this kit,” Stephanie reminded him. “And don’t talk crap about my cooking. You don’t cook any better than I do. You can let go.”

Damian did, and they waited for any wobbling. When the walls stayed in place, Stephanie let out a cheer. “Two pieces down, four more to go!” Damian made an affirmative noise before reaching for a paper towel. 

“Don’t waste the icing!” Stephanie scolded.

Damian rolled his eyes, but didn’t wipe the icing away. “Fine.” He brought his fingers to his lips and started to lick them clean.

Stephanie was pretty sure she shouldn’t have been as fascinated by that as she was, but she couldn’t look away. She watched as his tongue lapped up the white frosting on the knuckle of his index finger, cleaning the patch of skin. Stephanie was reminded right then that Damian wasn’t ten years old anymore. He was eighteen, an adult. When had that happened? 

“Brown.” Stephanie snapped out of it and saw that Damian was looking right at her. She felt her face start to flush, but tried to will it away.

She had known that he saw her in something other than his older-sister-that-is-annoying. But she hadn’t thought about what would happen if she stopped seeing his as a younger brother. As something a little more intimate than that.

Before he could say anything, Stephanie shook her head and picked up the frosting covered knife again. “Let’s finish this,” she said, ignoring how her voice sounded just slightly off.

She could feel his eyes on her as he realized what just passed. But he moved back over to the other side of the counter and grabbed another gingerbread wall. 

The awkwardness went away for the moment as they fell back into their regularly scheduled banter, but Stephanie knew that sooner or later this bizarre dance of theirs would have to end, one way or another.


	15. Presents (slight Steph/Jason)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason’s idea of presents aren’t the same as most people’s. Stephanie isn’t amused (or is trying not to be.) Damian is briefly a damsel in distress.

Ever since that one time with the eggnog, the Red Hood seemed to take a liking to Stephanie. If the small “presents” he’d left behind at various crime scenes were any indication, which Stephanie was going to assume. 

How did she know they were for her? Because she was the one that had figured out the pattern; the twelve days of Christmas. And Damian didn’t think she had any detective skills.

Maybe drunkenly singing all of those Christmas songs with Jason wasn’t the best idea she ever had. She hadn’t thought it would spin into all of this though. It totally wasn’t her fault.

There had been hijinks at six of the hospitals that were known for their delivery wards. Five jewelry stores had been robbed (the rings were the only thing taken). Bruce had called in all of the family, the four Robins he was in contact with, to figure this out along with assisting with the regular holiday crime. Three frozen meat distributers (with mostly chicken) were raided. And last night the one and only Red Hood robbed the two classiest restaurants in Gotham, which both served dove.

Stephanie didn’t know whether to be impressed or be annoyed. She was leaning towards impressed, but don’t tell anybody.

“What’s one, though?” She wondered out loud. Everyone was out in different parts of the city, keeping an eye out for Jason. Nothing had popped up all night, not even petty crimes, which raised some red flags. But all they could do is wait. And that led to Stephanie trying to figure out what Jason would do for his final “gift.”

She was stumped. Unless… No he wouldn’t do that, right?

Stephanie reached a hand up to switch her comm device over to a private channel. “Robin, what’s your location?” No answer. “Robin?” she repeated.

Silence was her only reply, and she shifted restlessly, hoping for a reply. Then the radio crackled to life “Don’t sound so worried, we’re just just hanging out in the park,” Jason said. . In the background Stephanie could hear some angry mumbling. Jason must have gagged Damian. “You’ll figure out which one.”

She blinked as the radio went dead again. I guess that means Damian’s okay, she thought as she stood up from her crouch and shot her grappling line. I guess we’ll find out.

She had no idea where to go, but her gut was telling her to head towards where Jason’s warehouse was located. As luck would have it, there was a park with some trees peaking out. Stephanie swung her way down and landed at the edge of the park. Jason’s helmet shined in the light of the streetlamp hanging overhead.

“Have you liked my presents?”

Stephanie walked over to him. If she was palming a batarang, it was well within her rights to do so. “Sure, but I would have settled for a thank you card. You didn’t have to go through all this trouble.”

Jason laughed. The helmet distorted it a bit, but Stephanie remembered how booming it was. “You deserve the best, doll. Let’s go collect your prize.”

They walked along the path a little ways, and then Stephanie heard Damian. She looked up to see the boy wonder tied to the trunk of a tree, standing on a flimsy looking branch further up. She went to go cut him loose but Jason dropped a heavy hand on her shoulder. 

“I figured you appreciate this the most. Some peace and quiet. Kid sure talks up a storm when his feathers are ruffled, doesn’t he?”

Stephanie glanced back at Jason. “Yeah, and I appreciate the strange gestures of yours on some level, but I’m a simple kind of girl that likes simple things. Buy me a gift card to Ihop and I’m happy.”

There was a pause as he looked her over. “You could have so much more fun other ways, babe.”

“Justice,” Stephanie said firmly. “It’s a thing for me.”

Another pause and Jason let her go. “I’ll stay optimistic. If you ever change your mind, let me know.”

Stephanie backed away, closer to Damian’s tree, before giving Jason a salute. “If I decide to get down with my bad side, you’re the first person I’ll call.”

Jason laughed again before mirroring her salute and sauntering away. When Stephanie knew he’d slipped away, she climbed into the tree and started sawing at the ropes. Which was unnecessary as after the first good tug they fell again. Damian glared up at her through his mask as he tore off the duck tape Jason had placed over his mouth.

“Not a word to Batman about me getting captured by that buffoon and I won’t tell him about your deal with Todd.”

Stephanie rolled her eyes but agreed. “Merry Christmas to us.” Damian scoffed and shimmied down the tree. Stephanie made to follow after, but saw a tiny slip of paper poking out from a cranny in the tree. She plucked it out and read Jason’s scribbled ‘Merry Christmas’ and smiled to herself.

“Come along, Fatgirl.” 

“I’m coming,” she sighed as she shimmied down after him.


	16. Fireplace (Gen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick’s attempts at some old fashion Christmas cheer are foiled by fire and smoke. Damian doesn’t assist.

There was something in the chimney. Which there shouldn’t have been, since Bruce had had it blocked off years ago. Yet here Damian sat, listening to the dull thuds just inside the fireplace.

Damian didn’t feel that concerned. He just continued his book, occasionally sipping on the hot cocoa that Pennyworth had prepared for him. When he heard Dick’s far off voice, that’s when Damian finally set the book aside.

Damian walked over to the lit fireplace and basked in the warmth of the burning logs. “Yes?”

“It would be much appreciated if you would put the fire out,” Dick yelled from within the chimney. The stones vibrated slightly from how loud, although from here Damian could only here the echoes of Dick’s plea.

Damian crossed his arms. “You should have thought about this possibility, Grayson. It’s not my problem.”

He heard as Dick scrambled back up to the mouth of the chimney, his feet producing a faint thud every time they landed on the brick. Soon it was gone, and Damian braced himself.

There was a tapping at the window and Damian turned to see Dick on the windowsill in a soot covered Santa costume. Damian blinked once at him and only opened the window when Dick gave him a mournful expression. Instantly Damian smelled the heavy smoke that Dick had been surrounded by.

Dick quickly climbed in to escape the cold and shut the window behind him. Dick glared down at Damian. “That was just terrible,” Dick scolded as he pulled off his Santa hat. He gave it a sad look before setting it down on one of the coffee tables.

Damian shrugged. “There’s no need for your frivolous holiday cheer.”

Dick had the strangest expressions. He was giving Damian a look that was one part pained and one part sad. “Of course there is. Maybe not the way I go about it, but it’s the holidays!”

Damian always felt slightly uncomfortable when Dick was sad. Especially when Damian thought he was the root of it. He didn’t care for this time of year, but Dick always pulled out all the stops (plus some.)

“Tt, maybe,” Damian allowed. 

Damian watched as a knowing smile spread across Dick’s face. And as Dick dashed over and grabbed Damian’s hot cocoa.

“I didn’t say you could have that, Grayson!”

“Well, you were the cause of some discomfort a second ago. Consider us even,” Dick threw back at him.

As much as Damian sulked around after that (according to Dick, because Damian didn’t stoop to sulking), Damian felt a faint warm fondness for his irritable elder as they sat right next to the fireplace.


	17. Stockings (Gen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce and Alfred find Martha Wayne’s Christmas stockings.

“Master Bruce, I know you aren’t used to doing chores around the house these days, but it really shouldn’t –“ Alfred trailed off mid sentence when he could see what was in Bruce’s hand. It was an old stocking, off white with age, and wasn’t one that Alfred hung up anywhere Bruce would see it.

It was a stocking that the late Martha Wayne had made. From where Alfred was standing he could see the cross-stitched Christmas scene, a young boy sledding down a snow-covered hill. At the mouth of the stocking, BRUCE was stitched neatly at the top.

Alfred’s gaze flicked up to Bruce’s expression. It was focused, absorbing every stitch that was on the cloth. Alfred had no idea what was running through his head.

“I’m terribly sorry, I usually put these in a different room,” Alfred said. He made to take the stocking from Bruce’s hand but Bruce spoke first.

“I’d almost forgotten these,” he said quietly, almost as if he hadn’t heard Alfred. Bruce looked down at the container, looking at the matching MARTHA and THOMAS stockings. “She never had much time for this kind of thing, but I remember her stitching these in the evenings.”

“That she did,” Alfred confirmed. He lowered his hand, but moved closer to see Martha’s embroidery. 

Bruce looked at Alfred. “Why don’t we have these in here?”

“I didn’t want to upset you, sir.”

Bruce made a thoughtful noise, glancing back down to the stocking. He picked up one of the decorated hooks in the box before walking over to the fireplace. He set the hook down on top and hooked the loop at the top of the stocking onto it. Bruce stepped back, admiring his handiwork. “Mother loved this time of year.”

Wordlessly Alfred picked up the other two stockings and went to stand next to Bruce. He hung them how Martha always arranged them, with Bruce’s in the middle. 

“She did.” Alfred looked at Bruce. He’d been with Bruce since he had been born. He watched him grow up into who he was today. He’d been there for the good and the bad. But Bruce had made it past every obstacle life had thrown at him. “She’d be proud, you know.”

Bruce turned to scrutinize his expression. After a moment, Bruce hmm’d deep in his throat, looking down.

Alfred set a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t think this gets you out of helping with the rest of the decoration. Goodness knows the boys won’t.”

Alfred could see a small smile work its way onto Bruce’s face. “Thank you.”

“There’s no need, sir,” Alfred told him. “Now let’s hop to it.”

There was no more comment about the stockings that were now hanging up over the fireplace, but they did add a bit of cheer to the room, if Alfred could say so.


	18. Cookies (Steph/Damian)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephanie tries to show Damian the greatness of Christmas sugar cookies, but Damian’s distracted by other things.

“Mmm,” Stephanie moaned around the half chewed cookie. Damian knew it was half chewed because Stephanie’s mouth was open as she grazed on the treat. She was lying across the loveseat next to his seat at the desk, gazing at him with her head tilted back. He suspected it was because he’d have the best view of her mouth. 

“You have no manners, Brown,” Damian chided, looking back to the Wayne Enterprise accounts that he’d been pouring over until Stephanie had interrupted. “How do you walk around in society?”

“I don’t,” Stephanie replied. She swallowed the last bit of the cookie and picked up the next open in the plastic container. “I’m too busy fighting crime dressed as a bat. What is sunlight, these days?”

Damian made a ‘tt noise before correcting the numbers for the development accounts. Honestly, these people didn’t seem to know anything about the business. Drake had assigned him the task of checking over this, but Damian hadn’t thought it was going to be this bad. Then again, he should have known better. Drake wouldn’t have had him do it if it was a simple task.

But as he was shuffling to the next stack of papers a brightly colored cookie cut to look like a Christmas tree entered his vision. Damian looked across to see Stephanie peering up at him. “Brown, I’m busy.”

“Wayne,” she said, mimicking his tone. She waved the cookie a bit before turning around so she was lying on her stomach. “Try it. They’re yummy.”

Damian leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “I’m not interested.”

“Come on, it’s not like it’ll hurt you.”

“There are multiple preservatives in those sweets you’re so fond of that do add up over time, Fatgirl.”

Stephanie glared at him. “Yeah, I read that on the label. But seriously, try it. Please.”

She wasn’t backing down, he could tell. Over a silly thing like a cookie. He didn’t understand sometimes. “Fine,” he said, taking the cookie. He saw out of the corner of his eye that she was smiling at him. He didn’t want to focus too much on that.

He inspected the cookie before biting down. It was sweet, but not nearly as good as anything Alfred used to make. The icing just added to the blandness to him.

“And the verdict is?” Stephanie asked as soon as he’d eaten the confection. 

He turned to tell her exactly what he thought, but was caught off guard. It was strange, after all this time, it was just the small things that got him. Stephanie wasn’t beautiful in the most conventional sense, but it was when Damian let his guard down when she struck him. The fire he’d started gave her hair a golden wash, and the lighting showcased the smirk that was waiting to fully show itself on her face, full of the satisfaction that was right. 

She was lovely.

“It’s sufficient,” Damian said finally. He set the cookie down next to where her hand was resting on the desk.

He watched as her lips formed a frown. “’Sufficient’? That’s all?”

Damian pushed his chair out and stood up. He gathered all the papers in his arms and started to head for the door. “They’re fine. Not for me, I think. I have work to do.”

He knew his abrupt exit would probably confuse Stephanie, but he needed some time alone, away from her. She had this way of getting under his skin that wasn’t acceptable. Maybe some distance would remedy that, although even as Damian thought it he knew it wouldn’t work. He was willing to try, at least.


	19. Santa (Gen, Jason-centric)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason brings some holiday cheer to one Gotham family in a way that only he can.

“I’ve been an awful good girl,” Jason sang softly to himself as he secured the rope that was binding his latest hit to the chair. “Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight.”

The man facing him was looking a little pale, but Jason was going to assume that was because the rope was a little tight. Maybe if he stuck around the man would change colors, but he had other things to do. At least the man had stopped trying to scream through the cloth gag. That had been annoying.

Jason stood up from his crouch next to the man and brushed the dust off the knees of his jolly pants. “Well, if you’re lucky, one of the Bat brats will be here before anything goes sideways for you. But if that happens, don’t go near that family again, or I’ll find a permanent.” Jason grabbed the man’s chin, forcing him to look right into his eyes. “Got it?”

When the man started to nod frantically Jason backed up. “Now don’t move. Never know if that explosive will go off.” As he was walking towards the door he called over his shoulder, “Merry Christmas.” 

-

An hour found Jason in an alleyway in between some apartments with a bag slung over his shoulder. He’d left this stuff at one of his safe houses just for this occasion. After putting on his hat he started climbing up the fire escape.

When he was just a leap away from his objective, he jumped. He balanced precariously on the windowsill and tapped at the window. From where he was perched he could see the lump in the bed stir at the sound. He tapped again and from underneath the covers a little girl, Marie, emerged. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before looking to the source of the voice. As she realized who it was, she shot up and squealed.

“Santa!” she said. Jason waved before motioning to the window. She nodded and quickly scuttled over to unlock it. Jason climbed in, careful not to step on Marie, who was now running around in between his legs.

“Easy, easy,” Jason said. “If you want one of your gifts now, you need to calm down a bit.”

Marie stopped mid motion at gifts, and shuffled back to her bed, putting her hands in her lap, giggling in excitement. Jason followed after and set the bag down on the ground. He felt her eyes watching as he started to pull the wrapped presents out from his bag. As he dug the last one out, she was practically humming with excitement.

“Dig in. Just one present though. I have some presents for your mom, too.”

She laughed and started rifling through the small pile. She finally settled on one box, holding it up to her ear and shaking it. She peered up at him, a question in her expression. He nodded and she started ripping the wrapping paper off. “Quietly,” he told her, “You can rip all of the others open in the morning.” She obliged, carefully taking off the rest of the paper. She opened the box and gasped at the doll looking back at her.

“She’s so pretty,” she whispered. Marie looked up at him in wonder, but then a shadow crossed over her face. “Daddy won’t let me keep her.”

“Don’t worry about you dad. We worked it out,” he told her. She started smiling again, hugging the doll to her chest.

Jason gave her a smile of his own. “Now we’ve got to get up back into bed, squirt.”

She started to frown. “Why? I haven’t even named her yet,” she cried, clutching the doll to her chest.

“Sleep on it,” he said. He picked her up and set her down in her bed. Marie pouted, but got under the covers. Jason tucked her and her new doll in as nicely as he could. “When you wake up, give her this letter,” he instructed, pulling out an envelope from his Santa jacket and setting it down on one of the boxes. 

She nodded. He picked up his bag and walked over to the window. As he was climbing out, her heard, “Santa, where are your reindeer?”

He turned to look at her. “On the roof. Now go to sleep.”

She didn’t looked convinced, but she accepted his answer. “Thank you, Santa.”

“No problem, kid. It’s my job.” He climbed out the window, and as he closed it behind him he said, “Merry Christmas.”


	20. Sled (Dick/Steph)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick and Stephanie go sledding.

The sled was too small for the both of them. The two of them were up on a snow-covered hill just outside of Gotham, the tallest and steepest hill they could find. This had been in the works for a couple of weeks, and finally there was enough time to do this. And Dick had picked out a sled that was too small. But Dick seemed determined to make it work, since he had gone all octopus limbs around Stephanie. It was endearing, but a little over the top. Or maybe that’s why it was endearing.

Stephanie turned to try and mock glare at him, but seeing as he was pressed flush against her back it was futile. She knew he could feel the effort, but he only burrowed further into her hair. “You totally did this on purpose, didn’t you?”

His answer was muffled, but she could hear the crinkle of her scarf when he smiled into it. “You know, for a billionaire, buying a proper sled shouldn’t be that taxing.”

Dick finally emerged from the warmth of her hair and stooped down to set his chin on her shoulder. “Would you believe me if I told you I thought this was big enough for the two of us?”

“Yes I would, because you are a birdbrain,” Stephanie told him. He tucked at her scarf just enough that a patch of her neck was exposed to the cold air. She squealed when he stuck his nose on it, causing “That’s not fair!”

“My nose was cold.”

“Not an excuse. Are you ready? You never know when justice will call.”

He snuggled up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Ready for take off.”

Stephanie shook her head with a smile on her face before edging the sled down the hill. They both let out a yell of joy as they rocketed down the hill. About half way down she could feel Dick start to slip off the back of the sled. And when he fell off she went with him. 

They rolled down most of the way, grunting and hissing at every hidden obstacle that they rolled over. Stephanie opened her eyes only when she had stopped her descent, cracking an eye open to look for Dick. “Dick?” she asked when he didn’t immediately move. 

She crawled over to him on all fours. She rolled him over onto his back, where she could see him grinning up at her. Stephanie hit him, none-too-gently, on the shoulder. “Jerk,” she said, even as she wiped some of the snow off his face. 

Dick laughed and pulled her down on top of him. “I couldn’t resist,” he said, blinking up at her.

She planted a quick kiss on his lips before pulling herself back up. “Where’s the sled?”

He glanced to the side and started laughing again. Stephanie looked to see the sled split halfway down the middle, a tree in between the parts. She started giggling, which turned into a full body laugh. 

It took them a minute or two to catch their breath, but they finally managed to compose themselves. Stephanie had rolled off Dick at some point and they lied next to each other there in the snow. 

“Girl wonder?” Stephanie tilted her head to Dick, who had propped himself up on one elbow to look down at her. “Thanks.”

She smiled. “That was fun. Next time I’m picking the sled though. Even though you were a great body warmer, that could have gone smoother.”

Dick gasped dramatically. “You only want me for my body! I feel so used.”

“Yes, I only want you for your sexy warm body,” Stephanie confirmed. They grinned at each other, content to just enjoy the moment. And then Dick’s cell rang. He fished it out of his coat pocket and check the id.

Stephanie pushed herself up off the ground. “Duty calls?” Dick nodded and answered the phone. She walked over to collect the broken sled. By the time she turned back to Dick, he was putting his phone away. “Shall we?” she asked, holding out her arm.

Dick grinned and hooked his arm with hers. They trekked their way back to the Compact, Stephanie dragging the sled by the string behind them.


	21. Snowman (Gen, Jason + Damian)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Only Todd would turn something that was an American holiday tradition into a potential coffin.

The first thing Damian noticed when he woke up was that it was cold. The second thing he noticed was that he was tied to a post of some type, propped up by his wrists and ankles. He opened his eyes and darkness and the cold were the only things that greeted him.

Todd. He’d been fighting the Red Hood in one of his warehouses, where he’d tracked him down after a huge riot that he had caused. Todd had gotten the jump on him, dropping a load of machinery on his head, and knocking Damian out. He was going to show Todd why he shouldn’t leave him alive in these situations after he got out of this, whatever this was.

Damian tested the sharp cord that Todd had decided to bind him with and hissed as it cut right through the skin of his wrists. The blood started to trickle down his hands and he gritted his teeth in frustration.

The next course of action was to test the post. It was wooden, and from what he could tell from toeing the dirt it had just recently been placed in. Damian threw all of the weight he could manage forward and the post rocked him into the cold snow in front of him. Hmm. He whittled his way back and forth and before long he was falling forward onto his stomach.

He rolled over onto his back, ignoring the stabbing pain at his wrists, and scanned what he could of the area. He was in one of the city parks near Todd’s safe house. To Damian’s left was his utility belt. He rolled as close as he could and felt around blindly before finally grabbing it. He knew what pocket had what he needed, so he rifled through and pulled out what felt like the tiny pliers, although there was a piece of paper in there as well. He closed his eyes to concentrate on not cutting himself in the process of freeing his hands and succeeded. 

Damian rolled back onto his back and pushed himself up. The cord had left a cut around the outer part of his wrist that started to bleed again. He bent down and cut his legs free and stood up, collecting his belt as well. He fished out the paper and wasn’t surprised to see Todd’s handwriting. ‘Maybe next time, little bat. Hoped you liked my snowman.’

Damian looked down at the snow that he’d been encased in. Sure enough, there were the makings of a snowman; buttons were buried in the pile of snow he had landed in, an old fashion pipe off to the side, a scarf, even a Santa hat. 

He shook his head. Only Todd would turn something that was an American holiday tradition into a potential death trap. 

If Damian kicked the broken snowman as he walked away, it was only because it was in his way.


	22. Jingle Bells (Gen, Dick + Damian)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick gets Damian to sing one of his favorite holiday songs with him.

“What fun it is to laugh and sing, a sleighing song tonight.”

Dick had been singing various Christmas songs for the past hour. Damian huffed and tried to block out the noise as Dick walked past his room again. Although the unfortunate thing was that Damian was starting the enjoy it. Grayson was just as bad as Brown was about the holidays, Damian thought darkly.

But Damian caught himself humming along absent-mindedly to the song Dick was singing. Which seemed to summon Dick back to his room, as he barged in without much warning.

“Knock,” Damian admonished, not looking up from his sketchpad.

“You were humming Jingle Bells just now,” Dick pointed out.

Damian finally glanced up at him. “I wasn’t aware you had meta human hearing, Grayson.”

“Sing with me.”

Damian leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Who said I wanted to sing?”

“When you started humming. Now come on, it’ll be fun. Everyone loves Jingle Bells.”

Damian rolled his eyes but Dick made his way over to him, touching him on the arm. “Please?”

Damian looked at Dick’s hand before uncrossing his arms, which was Dick’s cue to let go. Dick gave him a huge smile. “Oh jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.”

“Oh, what fun is to ride, on a one horse open sleigh,” Damian joined in. They sang the rest of the chorus and Damian felt that that hadn’t been so bad. Although he would never admit it to Grayson; he would get too much satisfaction out of that.

“I sung your silly song with you. Will you leave me be now?”

“Sure thing,” Dick said, clapping him on the shoulder. He left the room still singing that song with a smile on his face. Damian went back to his drawing, but did so knowing that Dick knew that he’d enjoyed singing with him. 

Damian would let Grayson have this small victory, he supposed.


	23. Carols (Gen, Steph, Cass, Damian)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steph takes a caroling break when she’s out shopping with Damian and Cass. Cass doesn’t let Damian bullshit himself.

“Tt, she’s always making a fool out of herself,” Damian huffed as Steph scrambled over to the caroling kids. The blonde had dragged both Cass and Damian out of their respective caves to do some last minute shopping (although Damian couldn’t fathom why she couldn’t do that on her own) when they’d been walking near the park and heard singing. Steph had made a beeline towards the sound and was delighted to discover that it was carolers. 

She had tried getting Damian to join in but he had stood his ground. Cass had hung back with him, observing the scene from the outskirts.

“Happy,” Cass said. Damian glanced at her and followed where her eyes were locked on Steph. The carolers had welcomed Steph into the song with smiles, and she was singing Silent Night in harmony with the rest of the group. Even from where Damian was standing he could see how much fun she was having. 

Damian uncrossed his arms to stuff his hands in his pockets. “Yes, she does find amusement in frivolous things, doesn’t she?”

Cass clipped him in the shoulder unexpectedly, making Damian squawk at the impact. She was looking intently at him. “Happy,” she repeated, motioning to Steph, “Doesn’t matter why. Worthy.”

Damian didn’t squirm under Cass’ intense stare, but he felt distinctly uncomfortable. “I know,” he said. Cass backed up minutely, waiting for the rest. Damian sighed. “I don’t understand all of these traditions. They seem pointless to me, but Brown and Grayson find merit in them.” 

Cass finally moved out of Damian’s personal space. “Doesn’t matter. Happy.” Cass looked to Steph, who was now singing Joy to the World with gusto. “Be happy for her.”

Damian didn’t respond, but watched as Steph giggled and waved goodbye to the carolers. One of the youngest girls went and hugged her, which Steph returned. He was happy for her, although he would never admit it. He knew that Cass could read in between the lines though. So they let the issue rest as Steph made their way back over to them.

“Are you ready to get back to your last minute shopping?” Damian asked, but without much bite.

“You’re no fun, you little Grinch,” Steph said. But she was still glowing from the carols, and that was all that mattered.


	24. Chestnuts (Gen, Alfred + Tiny!Dick)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred teaches Dick how to prepare chestnuts. Yup, that’s about it. Enjoy!

“Whatcha doin’, Alfie,” Dick asked, poking his head into the kitchen.

Alfred was cutting up nuts, but wasn’t removing the shells, just slicing them and putting them into a baking pan. Dick didn’t know what to make of it.

Alfred didn’t look up from his task before responding. “I’m preparing our chestnuts, Master Richard. You can assist me.”

Dick grinned and scuttled over to where Alfred was standing over the counter. Alfred set down his knife and pulled out an identical one from the drawer next to him. “Please be mindful. You work with other sharp knives but blood wouldn’t be very good seasoning for the chestnuts.”

Dick held out his hands to receive it, swirling it around in between his fingers. “I’ve got it. What next?”

Alfred picked up another nut from the bowl he’d set aside. “We’re going to cut an x into the shell,” he explained, demonstrating at the same time. Dick watched as the butler cut through the shell once, twice without any wasted flicks of the wrist. “Not deep enough to scratch the nut inside.” He set the chestnut into the pan.

“Why?”

“We’re going to roast them. Doing this now will make eating them much easier.”

“Okay,” Dick said. Alfred moved the bowl to where Dick could pick up one of the chestnuts. Dick smiled up at Alfred. “Let’s do this.”


	25. Christmas Music (Steph/Damian)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steph serenades Damian a Chirstmas apology for taking so long.

The first thud against his window woke him up. Damian was out of his bed and at his window before the second rock hit. And Steph didn’t bother throwing the third one, seeing as she had accomplished her task.

“Hey there, Batty!” she called.

Damian blinked down at her. He hadn’t seen her since she left Gotham a year ago. He guessed that her “soul searching” that she had left to do was done. Being the Batman of Gotham had always been the goal, but having an equal working by his side was something that he needed, in the way his father had needed a Robin. He’d let her go when she said she needed some time away, wanting what was best for her. After she was gone was when he realized how much he relied on her being there. Which first made him angry, then numb, thinking that things wouldn’t be the same if and when she returned.

And then there she was, throwing rocks at his window like those stupid movies she made him watch with her, waking him up at the crack of dawn right after he’d fallen asleep after patrolling the city the entire night. 

“What are you doing here Brown,” Damian asked with a bite in his tone, “and why are you damaging my house?” He wasn’t going to trust that this wasn’t just a pit stop. He didn’t know if she would leave again, so he wasn’t going to make this easy for her.

She smiled up at him. “I’ll be home for Christmas, you can plan on me,” she sang. 

Damian rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. “Brown, I’m not in –“

“Please have snow and mistletoe, and presents under the tree,” she continued, walking towards the main door.

“The entrance is locked, Brown,” he warned, feeling a mix of exasperation, anger, and amusement.

“Well then you better come and unlock it before I’m done with this song, otherwise I won’t be a good crime fighting partner, breaking and entering and all.”

As she took up her song, Damian grumbled but stormed down to meet her at the front. If he rushed down the stairs it was only because he didn’t have to go through the trouble of purchasing another door. 

When he flung open the door, she was finishing the song with, “I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams.”

Damian stared down at her and she calmly stared back. “Why are you here, Brown?” he asked after a pause. That sounded a little too raw, but he couldn’t take the words back.

Steph’s eyes softened. She didn’t reach for him, although he could tell she wanted to. They didn’t know where they stood anymore, after her leaving. “Because I know I goofed up, not ending things clearly. And Gotham’s my home, and so are you, even if you’re totally a brat and think too highly of yourself. And I want to try and do this right, if you’re cool with that.”

Damian just kept staring at her. He didn’t know what to think.

The snow started up again and Steph tilted her head up to see it fall. “Come play in the snow with me, at least,” she asked with a smile.

“No.”

Steph sighed but nodded. “Okay, I’ve got it. I’ll give you some space.” 

As she turned on her heel to leave, Damian grabbed her wrist. “I won’t play in the snow with you.”

Steph blinked at him, and then it registered. “You’re still a stick in the mud, then,” she stated with a grin. “I can live with that.”

Damian didn’t say anything else before tugging her close and kissing her. She made a small surprised noise before humming and kissing him back. For once Steph was cool with the not talking thing. They’d have time for that later.


End file.
